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Project SEARCH

Springfield College is once again collaborating with New England Business Associates and recently introduced the second cohort of interns participating in the community’s Project SEARCH program. The second cohort started at Springfield College the week of Sept. 2-6, and will continue on throughout the 2019-20 academic year. Project SEARCH’s mission is to help young adults with disabilities transition from school to work through a community agency partnership while gaining employability skills. The model involves an extensive period of training and career exploration, innovation adaptations, long-term job coaching, and feedback from teachers, job coaches, and employers.

Pictured, from left: Project SEARCH participants Zach and Jose; Springfield College Director of Multicultural Affairs Felicia Lundquist; and Ruth Poirier, New England Business Associates Project SEARCH program coordinator and division supervisor.

 


Effective Gateway

The Gateway to College program at Holyoke Community College (HCC) has been recognized for the third year in a row for its outstanding graduation rate, one of the best of all programs of its kind in the nation. The award for Graduation Achievement was presented in July to HCC Gateway’s director, Vivian Ostrowski (left, with Julissa Colon, special programs coordinator). Gateway to College is an alternative high-school program that offers dropouts and struggling teens a chance to earn their high-school diplomas through dual enrollment by taking college classes. Gateway students also collect transferable college credits they can apply toward a college certificate or degree. Since 2008, 384 students have earned their high-school diplomas through HCC’s Gateway to College program, and 33 have continued on to earn their associate degrees from HCC.

HCC Gateway’s director, Vivian Ostrowski (left, with Julissa Colon, special programs coordinator).

 


Pedal Power

More than 300 participants and volunteers gathered on Aug. 25 at Greenfield Community College for Wheeling for Healing, Baystate Franklin Medical Center’s yearly ride, walk, and run benefit to support oncology services. Past donations have been used to purchase state-of-the-art equipment such as new infusion chairs and exam tables to ensure patient comfort, support improvements for a better healing environment, and fund programs such as art therapy and yoga to encourage wholesome healing for patients and survivors.

 


Name That Ice Cream

In collaboration with Gran-Val Scoop, maker of gourmet homemade ice cream, Bulkley Richardson recently launched a challenge to create a new ice-cream flavor. The top three flavors were produced by Gran-Val Scoop and sampled by attorneys and staff at Bulkley Richardson on Aug. 20. The overwhelming winner was Executive Director Betsey Quick with ‘Butter Representation,’ a play on the law firm’s tagline, ‘better representation.’ The flavor consisted of peanut-butter ice cream with marshmallow and fudge swirls and crushed peanut-butter cups.

 


Community Support

Phillips Insurance Agency recently donated $1,000 to the Melha Shriners. Chris McMaster of Phillips Insurance (right) recently presented the check to Shriner Shonn Monday to support the 2019 Shriners Music Feztival, held Sept. 7 at the Three County Fair in Northampton.